Riccardo Muti said the decision had caused him ‘very great sorrow’. Photograph: Reuters

The star Italian conductor Riccardo Muti has pulled out of two productions and in effect left his flagship position at the Opera of Rome, provoking dismay and hand-wringing over the state of classical music in his native country.

In a letter reportedly written last week to the mayor of Rome and the general director of the city opera, the 73-year-old said the decision had caused him “very great sorrow” and had come only after “long and tormented thoughts”.

His letter was quoted in the Italian media as saying: “Unfortunately, despite all my efforts to help your cause, the conditions to guarantee the serenity which I need for the productions to turn out well are not there.” He was writing from Chicago, where he is music director of the symphony orchestra.

A report in Corriere della Sera said he did not explicitly state that he was leaving his position as “honorary conductor for life”, but this was implied due to the nature of his agreement with the company.

Muti did not detail his reasons for distancing himself from the Opera of Rome, but his move follows repeated conflicts.

Many productions have been hit by strike threats and protests amid staff anger over a management plan to cut the company’s losses.

In February, threats of industrial action almost prevented the opening night of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut - conducted by Muti and directed by his daughter, Chiara Muti - from going ahead. In July, the audience attending several productions of La bohème at the ancient Roman Caracalla Baths were greeted only by a piano and offers of reimbursement.

Italy’s culture minister, Dario Franceschini, said: “With a profound bitterness, I must say I understand the reasons that have led to this decision, which is painful to everyone. I hope, at least, that this will open the eyes of those who obstruct … the commitment to engender the change for which Italian opera has for too long been waiting.”

Italian commentators have interpreted the news as blow not only to the 134-year-old opera but also to national pride. “The Japanese, Americans, Germans and others will deduce what we have all known for a while: that uncertainty, dissatisfaction, short-sighted reasoning and other troubles are now the common denominator not only of the capital’s opera but of Italian life,” wrote journalist Armando Torno.